A big day in Italy!

Oh, friends, what a day we have had in Italy! 

The first and most important item of business today was for us to meet Dr. Vittorio Colletti for the first time.  Dr. Colletti is the world's foremost expert on Auditory Brainstem Implant in children.  I had heard from other parents that he is personable, but he was more than that -- straightforward, not rushed, compassionate, and funny! 

Anna took to him immediately.  He almost instantly said Anna was too smart for his tests -- he was trying to see if she would react to the vibrations of a tuning fork, but Anna anticipated his every move, so he could not see the outcome.  I told him I thought that's how she initially got a diagnosis of "moderate hearing loss" -- she anticipated and reacted so well that the first audiologists thought she had some hearing.  He kept saying, "oh, she will do well....she is so clever!"

He then sat down with me and opened the CT and MRI cds and walked me through Anna's anatomy, showing me specifically where she was completely normal and showing me in other places where she was missing parts.  No doctor had done that yet.  It was so informative and comforting as he showed me where he planned to operate.  He then showed me videos of the surgery -- a normal surgery and one with complications.  He explained that if he opened her up and saw anything whatsoever that caused him concern, he would come talk to me.  He said he would NOT proceed if he saw anything that put Anna's life or longterm health or well-being at risk.

We have always known Anna's age is working against her -- the brain is much more plastic in younger children.  However, Dr. Colletti said he has higher hopes for an older child who is smart, as everyone who meets Anna thinks she is, than for a child who is very young but has cognitive challenges.  He said he would still implant a child with cognitive challenges because they do benefit some, but the greater benefit is in children like Anna who were born with everthing else perfectly fine.

He was very blunt and honest about the horrible things that could happen in brainstem surgery.  I knew all of this from my research, but still, hearing him say it made my heart quiver.  I started to tear up and then he took my face in his hands and he said, "now ask me in how many of my patients any of those things has happened."  So I asked.  He said, "Zero.  None."  He explained that there always could be a first, and he wanted me to be very sure that I understood that this surgery, even though it's the only choice for hearing, is still a choice -- we could walk away and not pursue hearing as an option.  We know that.  We have always known that.  That is part of what has made the decision to pursue an ABI such a difficult one.



Then he said the words that made my heart sing.  "I implanted 10 children last year.  Anna's brain is in better condition than any of them.   She is so smart, I think she will compensate for her age.  Remember, means and medians mean there are some higher and some lower.  I really believe Anna will be a higher."

I left feeling very confident that we are pursuing the right course for Anna and with the right doctor.  We were SO disappointed when we learned Anna could not have her surgery in the United States.  Only later did we really understand that by closing that door, God has directed our path to walk toward the world's most experienced doctor for this procedure.  We also learned that, to some in the know, the device approved in Italy is superior to what will be implanted in the US trial.  In ALL things, we give thanks!  Only now do we really grasp that Anna is getting the best of the best by being forced outside the U.S. to Italy for medical care.

On our way back to the hotel, we wandered on an open-air market.  Oooo, I found it very hard to walk past those beautiful, court-appropriate shoes.  Closed toes, closed heels!  Those can be very hard to find in the U.S. these days....but I kept walking!  We are on an Anna mission, not a shoe mission!















Later in the day, we went to the train station to purchase tickets for our journey to Verona tomorrow. At the platform, a lady stopped me and asked me if my name was Amy.  It turns out this mom, also from the U.S. (New York), is in Italy with her husband and baby, and her baby will also have the ABI done on the same day as Anna.  The baby's name is Diva.    I also know a family from Scotland will be here with their son, Oliver.  When you pray for Anna, please also remember Oliver and Diva and their families. 

Tomorrow, we will take the train to Verona, where we will set up housekeeping in an apartment for the next 6 weeks. From here on out, the going gets tough, but I have all of you standing on the wall for Anna, so I am not afraid (most of the time). 

In fun side news, without realizing it, I booked our hotel in Milan in what must be Milan's version of Chinatown.   Who knew?! We keep seeing Chinese people everywhere we go.  There are Chinese restaurants all around.  Tonight, we found a Taiwanese restaurant for dinner, and Anna ate everything that wasn't nailed down.  She loved the food! I got to share with the owner about my girls.  I love Chinese people.  I love them in China, I love them in the U.S., and now I love them in Italy, too.

I took lots of photos today, but I'm having trouble getting them loaded.  Must be a slow connection tonight!

Ciao from Italy,
Amy